Machine for perfecting ingots



F. G. GASCHE.

MACHNE FOR PERFECTING INGOTS.

APPLmATmN FILED :uw u. |917.

`1 ,389, 300. Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. G. GASCHE.

MACHINE FOR PERFECUNG INGoTS.

Patented Aug. 30, 19.21-

,APPLICATLON FILES JULY l?, l9l7. 1,389,300.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- TENT OFFICE. i

FERDINAND e. desean, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.v

i MAQHINE non rEnFEcTING INGo'rs.

Application led July 17,

' To aZZ- lwhom t may concern.'

., tively smaller is desirable that the structureor mechanism 80 perfecting the ingots shall Be it known'that-I, FERDINAND G. GAscHn, a. citizen of the United States and resident ofChica'go, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new, useful, and Improved Machine for Perfecting Ingots, of which the following, is a specification.

y invention relates generally to ingot perfecting machines, which operate laterally to compress the ingot for the purpose of expelling the impurities, consolidating the lngot, and otherwise perfecting it.'

Iy invention, while usable elsewhere, is primarily intended forI employment in the steel industry and for that reason will be described with particular reference thereto. The steel ingots are poured and castin molds, which are mounted upon .buggies' or carriages, and when the ingots have sufficiently solidified to maintain their shape, the molds are stripped from the ingots, and their supporting buggies are moved along from the stripping position to the position or house where they .are squeezed. In commercial practice these ingots and their buggies areain relatively close or compact relation, particularly is this so with `the relaingots and other pieces It for squeezing or be portable to the end that that ingot orothcr piece in the condition best suited for the squeezing operation may be selected and acted upon; and to the further end that it shall not be necess' to stop the carriage or buggy containing t e ingot, or other piece, accurately at any' definite point.

The general object of my invention is to provide an ingot( perfecting mechanism wherewith-relat1vely compactly or closely associated'ingots and .otherpieces can be operated upon expeditiously..

A further object of my invention is to provide an ingot-perfecting mechanism, wherewith the manipulation of the valves, levers and other parts necessary tothe proper and convenient control of the mechanism may' be operated from one side of the train or series of ingots or from the levermans cage on the traveling crane, which is generally employed in acting'upon. the ingot or other piece. In the accomplishment of the above ynoted objects, and oth ers,.I.l have devised a type of ingot compressing mechanism, one ot' the leading advantages of which is a tandem arrangement of main compressor` pis- ISpecification of Letters Patent. v

Patented Aug. 30, 1921. 1917. rserial No. 181,006.

y t0n, and associated pull-back pistons mounted upon vtension rods connectmg the squeezing jaws of the machine.

To facilitate the quired of the clamps and jaws in view, of the limited space, and thenced of easy accessibility, I have devisedfa binary system Huid-control for governing the motion of the several pistons. I also reduce the bulk ,of the machine, i. e., enhance its compactness bymaking the clamps or jaws of suffi- `\ciently rigid, construction to withstand the pressures exerted upon the ingots without relying principally upon cross-heads or yokes for that purpose'. practice will have variationsof their surfaces, and may assume angular positions, Iy provide the cylindric bearing plates which permit slight rotation of theclamps or jaws in a vertical plane,tl1us automatically adapting the ingot engaging surfaces of the clamps to the accidental variations of the surfaces of the ingots, and making the quick and easy treatment of the ingot possible. e

Further objects and advantages of my invention will'appear hereinafter, and my invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustratel that form of my invention which I have so far found best adapted to the accomplishment of theobjects in view.

In said drawings: Figure l' is a-smal1, vertical sectional view of the squeezer house, showing the squeezer suspendedtherein from the overhead traveling crane Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the ingot squeezer mechanism, and ingot of Fig.l 1, a portion of the mechanism being broken away better to disclose the interior construction Fi 3 is a view substantially on the line 3-3 of ig. 2 of the ingot mounted upon its buggy, and showing the ingot perfecting or squeezer mechanism encompassing. the ingot;- and Fig. 4 is a somewhatdiagrammatic sectional view illustrating the fluid control mechanism whereby the jaws or clamps of the squeezer may be manipulated as desired.

Asindicated in Fig. 1, the squeezer house -or building, is equipped with a traveling crane, 4, whichmay be moved longitudinally over the tracks, in usual manner, and bears the trolley, 5, which is transversely movable The operator is carried in the cage 6, and from thence controls the movements of the .various movements re- As the ingots in clamps or' jaws with suitable trolley, 5, and of the hoisting machine, 7, thereon. The stripped iiigot, A, is shown on .its car or buggy, B; Above it, and suspended lromthe crane trolley, is the squeezer, C, which obviously may be raised vand moved both longitudinally and transversely by means of the traveling crane. The squeezer,

machine, and have rigidly or nuts, 13, and on the cylinder C, as will be presently explained, in detail, is essentially two normally open jaws, together defining' an opening large enough to admit the upright iiigot. Upon the arrival of the ing'ot in the squeezer house the open sqneezer is first positioned directly above the ingot and then lowered until the top of the ingot appears through the squeez'er. Thereupon power is applied to close the squeezer jaws upon and thereb compress the ingot. This statement is ma( e to the end that the general operations `of treating the ngot may be understood before proceedingto a detailed description of my novel mechanism which will be described under two general headings, to-wit, (1) squeezer proper, and (2) the squeezer controlling mechanism.

The squarz@ proper.

My novel squeezer, though solid and heavy, is ol" compact and simple construction. It comprises 1.2-1.2 upon the threaded ends, 13, of which are mounted adjustable clamp nuts, 13. 14-14 are the clamps or jaws of the integrally cast hubs, l5, surrounding the tension rods, 12-'12. A supporting surface, 16, at the inner extremity of the hubs is approximately the size of the tension rods, 12-12, and

serves, by engagement with the rods 12-12,

as a fulcruni for the clamps, 14--14', and also as a. fulcrum for the cylindric bearing member, 174-17. The bearing members, 1T-1, are rigidly attached to the clamps or jaws, 14-l4, and have seating surfaces on the distance pieces, 19, under the 'clamp frame, 20, at the operating side of the machine. In the operation o the squeezer it is necessary to exert powerful force and then to provide means of separating or ,freeing the jaws from the ingot to permit its removal and to enable the encompassing of another ingot. Since there are two sets of similar mechanisms, each associated with one of the tensioii'rods, a detailed description of .one will serve for both.

To this end I provide a main cylinder, 21,

A- an alined pull-back cylinder, 23, and an imattachment of a piston mediate or connecting head, 22. In the main cylinder. 21, I provide the main compressor piston, 24, rigidly attached to the Atension rod, while an extension, 25, of the tension rod provides a pull-back plunger or for. the

if desired.

It will befunderstood that the cylindrical bearing members, y17--17, 'are suitably sespaced Iparallel tension r0ds,'

' pipe, 36.

to squeeze the ingotl Exhaust ports, 59-59 cured to their respective jaws or clamps, 14-14, so as' to move therewith whenthe jaws are actuated and that the jaws them selves are removable for removal, inspection or repair. f

The mechanism, as thus described, may be operated under the requisite pressure Aby any medium, but the portable form of ma-V chine gives preference to use of liquids on the main plunger or piston, 24, and steam or air on the pull-back plunger or piston. Apparatus for accomplishing the operation of the squeezer is preferably mounted on the frame, `20, of the squeezer, although a part of the equipment, may be mounted on the traveling crane by which the squeezer is transported, as hereinbefore described. The sgueeze'r control mechanism.

The essentials of the squeezer control mechanism are best shown in the somewhat diagrammatic view (Fig. 4). Therein 30 is a compressed air drum or reservoir, receiving its su ply of air through'tlie pipe, 30', connecte wi h an air compressor that may be attached to the iii-got squeezer frame or to the stage of the traveling crane. In'` special cases the flexible hose and pipe-connection from a stationary air compressor may be employed, although this will generally be limited to use where the squeezer does not operate at relatively great distances. 34 is a surge tank capable of withstanding fluid pressures approximating those which will apply to the reservoir, 30. 35 is a combination automatic check and positive relie. valve, connected on its low pressure side to the surge tank, 34, by means of the closed Thehigh pressure side of the valve, 35, connectslbythe closed pipe, 37, to Sie plunger chamber, 38, of the fluid intensier sidd, SSL-39", of the piston 39, through-the use of the control valve, connectin with the reservoir, 30. The plunger cham er, 38, also connects through the medium of the pipe, 42, with the interior of the main compression cylinder, 21. 54 is a control valve, somewhat resembling the valve, 40, ofthe fluid intensiier, but having a supply pipe, 55, from the reservoir, 30, and a connection, 56, tothe upper portionA of they D. Steam or lair is admitted to either 40, and the pipe, 41,

surge tank, 34,-as well as a connection, 57, to

the interior of the pull-back cylinder. 23. are shown for the valve, 54,- which is of the type known as a piston valve, though any other suitable type of construction,

same operations, may be employed.

Operation of 4the ie/vice.

In practical use, the spaces of the appa-v ratus, consi the surge tank, 3c, 35, 37 and sting of a part o 34, of the pipe connections, 42, together with the plunger chamber, 3,8,

.capable of performing the of` the liquid intensifier, and of a part of the displacement of' the main plunger cylinder, 2l, are to be filled with water or other liquid. Spaces in the compression tank, 80, upper part of the surge tank, 34, spaces 39, 39', of the intensifier cylinder, spaces 18 of the pullsback cylinder, and the connecting valves and fittings are filled with some elastic fluid under pressure, such, for example,`

as steam or air, which is directed to the several conipartmentsby means of the control valves, 4 0, and 54.

Suppose now an ingot has been treated in the compressing machine or squeezer, and it is desired to prepare the latter for the reception of another ingot and to complete the operations thereon. i

Fig. 3 shows the initial position of the jaws or clamps upon the ingot, the parts 12, 12', 24, and 25 are now at their extreme right-hand position. Air is admitted to the interior of the pull-back cylinder, 23, thus pushing outwardly tlie parts 12, 12', 24 and 25 with the left-hand clamp or jaw, 14, thus' providing the necessary intervening space for the insertion of the new ingot. This is accomplished by the control apparatus as follows: i

Air is admitted to the pull-back cylinder, 23, by a left-hand movement of the piston valve, 54which thereby enables the air to pass from the tank, 30, through pipe, 55,

- middle passage of the valve, 54, and through the pipe, 57, to the pull-back cylinder. t the same time the left-hand movement of the piston valve, 54, makes an open air connection for the top of the surge tank, 34, through the-pipe connection, 56, and the ex- The expansion of the air inthe pull-back cylinder `actuatesl the connected tension rod and the main compressor cylinder thereby forcing the liquid backward through connections, 42, 38, 37 35' and 36 into the bottom of the surge tank, 34. It will be understood that before this action occurs, the check valve, 35, is raised by the positive lever, 20, which may be controlled by hand, if desired. In case of accidentally large frictioni resistance against the moving of' the parts of the intensifier, the lunger in space, 38, thereof, is further assisted to its extremely inward position .by the admis sion of air to the left side, 39, of the piston, 39, the air passing from the cylinder, 30, through pipe, y41, and being properly directed by means of the piston-likevalve, 40. By the automatic action of the check valve, 35, any additional supply of liquid from the surge tank that may be required by the further displacement of the plungerV in the chamber, 38, of tl" liquid intensifier, D, is insured. The valve, 54, is now moved to the right andadmits air under pressure to the top of the surge tank, 34, through the.

medium of the intermediate space of thef `valve and the connecting pipes, 55 and 56,

at the saine time an open air connection is made with the interior of the pull-back cylinder, 23, by means of the connecting pipe, 57, and the exhaust port, 59. The pressure in the surge tank, 34,-will immediately ,cause the displacement of the liquid in the bottom of the ksurge tank and through'the 'connections, 36, 35, 37, 38 and 42, to the interior of the main cylinder, 2l, which obviously will cause a movement of the main compressor piston, 24, and the tension rod to which it is connected. It will be understood that both cylinders operate simultaneously so that both tension rods are acted upon andtlius the clamps or jaws of the ingot coms pressor are forcibly brought into contact with the new ingot. Since the lever, 20a, has notv been released and the valve, 35, is on its seat conditions are Such as to enable the application of enormous pressures to the ingot. To this end valve, 40, is moved to right and compressed air or other elastic fiuid is delivered to the right hand chamber 39 of. the intensifier, through the medium of .p ipe, 41, and control valve, 40. An open pressor or squeezer. A repetition of the motion of the intensifier plunger is possible `with this arrangement, if' unusual volume changes are to be imposed upon the ingot; that is to say, the ingot may be subjected to successive compressions.

It should be. noted that-the controlling mechanism is arranged so that it may be operated from one side of the machine, and that tlie parts Iare compactly arranged, thereby enabling the convenient and. easy operation upon relatively closely associated ingots.

Since this disclosure will suggest to others modifiedconstructions whereby the substan tial objects and purposes of my invention' -may be attained, I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction, or arrangement of the parts shown and described except only as may be necessary by limitations in the hereunto appended claims.

I claim 1. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising 120 in combination a plurality of jaws, a ten` sion rod upon which the jaws are mounted, and a piston directly connected to the ten'- sion rod.

2. The herein described improvements in 125 machines for perfecting ingots comprising in combination a plurality of jaws, a plurality of tension rods upon which the jaws are mounted, and pistons directly connected to the tension rods.

V by a` fluid under pressure The herein described improvements in machines for perfectinglr ingots, comprising 'in combination a plur-ality of jaws, a tension rod upon which the jaws are mounted, and main compressor and directly secured to the tension rod.

4. The herein described improveuients in machines for perfecting ingots, Acomprising in combination a plurality of jaws. a plurality of tension rods nponwhich the jaws are mounted, and main compressor pistons and pull back pistons directly secured to the tension rods.

5. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising in combination jaws, atension rod upon f'hich the jaws are mounted. and a main compressor piston and a piill-back piston arranged upon the tension rod in tandem relation.

6. The herein described improvements in."

machines for perfecting ingots. comprising in combination a plurality of jaws, a tension rod upon which the jaws are mounted, a compressor-piston directly connected to the tension rod, and means for moving the compressor piston in one direction.

7. The herein described improvements -in machines for perfecting ngots, comprising in combination a plurality of jaws, a tension rod upon which the jaws are mounted, a compressor piston directly connected to the tension rod, means for moving the compresser piston in one direction, and other means for returning the main compressor piston. f

8. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising in combination a plurality of jaws, a tension rod upon which the jaws are mounted; a compressor piston directly connected to the tension rod, and valve controlled means for moving the compressor piston in one direction.

9. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising in combination spaced jaws, means operable for causing relative movement of the jaws, a body of fluid under pressure, an intensifier, a connection between the body of fluid, intensifien and fluid operable means, said connection communieating pressure of the body of fluid and of the intensifier to said fluid operable means, said intensifier comprising a piston actuated plunger, and a valve for admitting a medium under pressure upon either side of the piston, a fluid pressure tank, and a connection between the fluid pressure tank and the intensifier valve.

10. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising in combination spaced jaws, means operable by'a fluid under pressurefor causing relative movement of the jaws, a body of fluid pull back pistons under pressure,

fier, a connection between under pressure, an intensifier, a connection between the body of fluid, intensifier and fluid operable means, lsaid connection conimunicating pressure-of the body of fluid and of the intensifier to the fluid operable means, said intensifier comprising a piston actuated plunger, a valve for admitting a medium under pressure upon either side of the piston, a second fluid pressure tank, a connection between the second fluid pressure tank and the intensifier valve, and a connection between the second pressure tank and said body of fluid under pressure.

11. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising spaced jaws, a main pressure cylinder,'a, pull back cylinder, a. surge tank, an intensifier, a connection between the surge tank and intensifier, and between the intensifier and main pressure cylinder, a tank for fluid and means for directing said fluid under pressure to the intensifier and to the pull-back cylinder as desired.

12. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising spaced jaws, a, main pressure cylinder, a pull -back cylinder, a surge tank` an intensithe surge tank and intensifier, and between the intensifier and main pressure cylinder, a tank for fluid under pressure, and means for directing said fluid under pressure to the intensifier and to the piill-baek cylinder and surge tank, as desired. V

13. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising spaced jaws. a main pressure cylinder, a pull-back cylinder, a surge tank, an intensifier. a connection between the surge tank and intensifier, and between lthe intensifier and main cylinder, a tank for fluid under pressure, means for directing said fluid under pressure to the intensifier and to the pull-back cylinder as desired, and means for exhausting the fluid from the pull back cylinder.

14. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising spaced jaws. 'a main pressure cylinder, a pull-back cylinder. a surge tank, an intensifier, a connection between the surge tank and intensifier` and between the intensifier and main pressure cylinder. a tank for fluid under pressure. means for directing said fluid under pressure tothe intensifier and to the pull-back cylinder as desired, and means for exhausting the fluid from the surge tank.

fluid under pressure to the intensifier and to the pull-back cylinder as desired, and

means for exhausting),r the fluid from theV surgetank and from the pull-back cylinder.

16. The herein described improvements in machines for perfectingingots, comprising spaced jaws, surge tank, a valvefcontrolled intensifier, a valve for the pull-back cylinder, anda fluid pressure reservoir, a connection 4for liquid between the surge tank and main cylinder, a connection between the fluid pressure reservoir and the intensifier valve, and a connection `between the pressure reservoir and surge tank through the pull-back cylinder valve.

main ajnd pull back cylinders, a

' I 17. The herein described improvements in machines for perfecting ingots, comprising main and pull-back cylinders', a surge tank, ayalve-controlled intensifier, a valve for the pull-back cylinder, andA a fluid pressure reservoir, a connection for liquid between the surge tank and main cylinder, a connection between the fluid pressure reservoir and the intensifier valve, a connection between the pressure reservoir and surge tank through the pull-back valve, and an automatic check i and positive relief valve interposed between the surge tank and the intensifier.-

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 30 set many hand this 9th day of July, 1917. FERDINAND G'. GASCHE. 

